WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan had anticipated the possibility of a negative crowd reaction before his appearance during WWE Raw’s Netflix debut episode in January last year.
The two-time WWE Hall of Famer made a brief return during the historic broadcast from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Longtime friend and manager Jimmy Hart discussed the backstage dynamics surrounding Hogan’s appearance in a recent interview on the “What Do You Wanna Talk About?” podcast, revealing that Hogan was aware the crowd could turn against him before they walked through the curtain.
According to Hart, the situation began when Hogan wore a Trump-Vance shirt during pre-taped material filmed in California.
Hart admitted he immediately felt uncomfortable about the decision and warned Hogan about potential backlash.
“Here’s what happened, though—and I told Hulk before we went. And you know, I love you, Hulkster, but I’m going to tell the truth on this,” Hart explained.
“He wore a Trump–Vance T-shirt when we did some pre-tape stuff. I said, ‘You know where we’re going—we’re going to California.’ And like I said before, I’m not a Democrat or Republican—I’m a jabroni. But here’s the deal—I said, ‘I don’t like this.’ He said, ‘Jimmy, don’t worry about it.’”
Confrontation Outside the Arena
The tension escalated before the segment even aired, according to Hart. He revealed that fans confronted Hogan directly outside the building upon their arrival at the Honda Center.
“We get out of the van—the nice Town Car pulls up—and some fans go, ‘Hulk, we loved you, but we don’t like you anymore because you’re…’ Oh my God,” Hart recalled. “I said, ‘Hulk…’ And he goes, ‘I don’t feel good about this, Jimmy.’”
Despite sensing the hostile atmosphere, Hogan insisted on moving forward with the appearance. Hart remained nervous throughout rehearsals and could feel the crowd reaction intensifying once they walked out in front of the live audience.
Hogan Accepted the Consequences
Hart explained that Hogan focused on the business side of the reaction after returning backstage, noting that the segment drew strong ratings despite the negative response.
“Hulk comes in like, ‘Hey, the ratings were good on that segment we did.’ And I said, ‘Well, I guess they should be—with all the commotion that happened,’” Hart said.
Hogan openly acknowledged he understood why the backlash occurred and accepted the consequences tied to his political stance.
“And he goes, ‘Jimmy, look—sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.’ He said, ‘I’ve made my bed, and I’ve got to lie in it. That’s who I wanted to vote for—that’s what I wanted to do.’ He said, ‘I knew in my heart going in there it might be a catchy situation,’ but he knew it,” Hart revealed.
Hart also recalled Pat McAfee parodying the situation on his show the following day, with a skit featuring someone dressed as Hogan.
“They had a guy dressed up like Hulk going, ‘I told Jimmy Hart not to wear that silly jacket! I told Jimmy Hart not to have that hairstyle!’ But it turned out great, you know?” Hart said.
